As the use of computers and computer-based networks continues to expand, content providers are preparing and distributing more and more content in electronic form. This content includes printed media such as books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, manuals, guides, references, articles, reports, documents, etc., that may be transformed from print into electronic form, e.g., as an “electronic book” or “e-book,” through the use of a scanning device or other available means. A page image rendered to a user in electronic form allows the user to see the page of content as it would appear in print.
A reader may wish to partially consume, or “skim,” content for a variety of reasons. The reader may wish to quickly locate a particular passage, or the reader may wish to quickly peruse the content to aid in a purchasing decision. With printed media, a reader may simply flip through pages to visually locate sought-after content or to quickly peruse the printed media. With an electronic book or other electronic media, on the other hand, a reader may not be able to skim through the contents as easily or quickly. Unless the reader knows a particular keyword or search phrase, the reader may not be able to use an electronic reader's search function to locate a particular excerpt of an electronic book. Additionally, the reader's ability to quickly advance through an electronic book with an electronic reader may be limited by the electronic reader's inability to render content quickly enough.